Adjustable lock for expandible portfolios



W. D. FRITZ I owe, 1940.

ADJUSTABLE LO CK FOR EXPANDIBLE PORTFOLIOS Filed July 31, 193,9

gwuc/wtcw F ITZ \A/ILLIHM DHY Patented Dot. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC Y ADJUSTABLE LOOK FOR EXPANDIBLE PORTFOLIOS i William DayFritz, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor' of one-half to Quality Park Envelope b., St... Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application July 31, 1939, Serial No. 287,505

8Claims. (elm-201 lo washer, the string being of a length to permit the portfolio to expand to its capacity and yet be locked by the same. With this locking means no string is necessary and a simple slidably carried locking tongue is provided which may be locked in different positions and held under spring tension when closed, and in open position sufliciently free to be inserted through an eyelet or grommet which forms the tongue receiving opening in the free flap of the portfolio or wallet.

A feature resides in providing a slidable spring tongue anchoring member and a track for slidably receiving the same to hold the slidable spring tongue anchoring member in1any adjusted posi tion in the track. l

A further feature resides in providing the anchoring member with shoulder means on both sides on one end, and shoulder means on oneside on the other end which hold the spring anchoring member. free to spring up between its ends and yet prevent the ends of the same from working out of the track in the operation of the locking tongue to secure the free closing flap of the portfolio.

A further feature resides in providing a simple locking means which is made of metal and conassists mainly of three parts, the track which is secured to the body of the portfolio, the spring anchor for the tongue, and the angularly shaped tongue which slides over one end of the spring anchor and is pivotally supported from a loop 40 .formed midway between the ends in the anchor. These parts are made in a manner so that they can be easily assembled. The spring anchor. and the locking tongue can be disengaged from the track or inserted in the same, making the assem- 5 bly very easy. i

Thesefeatures, together with other details will be more fully and clearly hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing forming a part of my specification; 50 Figure 1 illustrates a portfolio showing the ad-' 'justable locking means in closed position holding the free flapof the expandible portfolio closed. 4 Figure 2 is an enlarged section through the portfolio and the locking means, showing the relative 5; position of the parts when the locking tongue is i of the portfolio A.

partially engagingthe eyelet in the free flap of the portfolio. Figure 3 is a similar enlarged cross-section to that of Figure2, showing the, parts of the locking means in closed position. 5 Figure 4 is a plan viewof the locking means with the tongue thrown back into open position and the free flap of the expandible portfolio not shown,

Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of the 10.

track of my locking device.

Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view of the spring locking anchor for the tongue of the look as it would appear in enlarged form removed from the track shown in Figure 5.. 15

Figure 7 illustratesa perspective view of the. locking tongue removed from the spring anchor shown in Figure 6. v

The portfolio A may be of any suitable form, design, or .constructiomfand is of an expandible 2O nature as shown by the score lines ill in the top of the same, which is of ordinary construction in an expandible portfolio. A front view shown in Figure -1 illustrates the general rectangular form Portfoliosysuch as A, are used for various pur- 25 poses and are made expandible so that as they are filledup with material, the free flap I l which is made long enough to extend down over the front 12 of the portfolio, is adapted to be ad- 30 justed into different positions so as to cover the top opening of the portfolio and provide an adjustable closure means for the same. i

Heretofore portfolios of this character have been held closed by a cord which has one end anchored to the free flap of the portfolio and the other end extendingaround the same and a locking washer is provided around which the free end of the cord can be secured. In portfolios of this character, a string or cord lock of this kind is 40 undesirable because these cords. pull off of the portfolio or become Worn out and yet the portfolio itself is still good and may be used for a long time provided a suitable lock is provided for holding the free flap l l of the same closed. This has been accomplished by the lock herein set forth, wherein a long track l3, such as is illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, is adaptedtobe formed from a single piece of sheet metal and has longitudinal- 1y extending side flanges M to provide two channel-shaped grooves 15 which extend the length of the track I3. The track I3 is formed with integral piercing staple portions l6 which pierce the frontjwall l2 of the wallet A and are turned over as illustrated in Figures 2'and 3 to secure the track to the front wall of the expandible portfolio A. By this simple means, the long track I4 is rigidly secured to the portfolio.

The free flap I I of the portfolio is provided with a hole which is reinforced by an eyelet ll to strengthen the same and to provide a reinforced elongated opening through which the locking tongue of the adjustable lock is adapted to extend. The adjustable lock for the portfolio consists further of a spring anchoring member I8 which is of a flat ribbon-like nature and which is provided with longitudinally extending side shoulders I9 on each side of one end, while the other end has a single transversely extending shoulder 20. Virtually midway between the ends of the spring anchor I8 is formed an upwardly projecting loop 2|. The anchor I8 is formed of spring metal or other resilient material so as to provide a strong spring which is adapted. to hold the looking tongue under spring tension in closed position as will be later described. The Width of the spring anchoring member I8 excepting at the points of the shoulders I9 and 20, is narrow enough so that the loop 2I will project upward between the flanges I4 of the track I 3. This permits the anchor tobe inserted in the track I3 with the shoulders I 9 and 20 extending under the flanges I4 as illustrated in Figure 4. I

Before the anchor I8 is inserted in the track I3, the locking tongue 22 is slipped over the shoulder 20 by inserting the end I8 of the anchor through the hole 23 formed in the ofiset end 24 of the tongue 22. The opening 23 is large enough to permit the tongue 22 to slip freely over the shoulder 20 and around onto the body of the anchor so that the tongue is held pivo-tally supported by the anchor in the loop or hump 2 I.

The tongue 22 is of a flat nature and is provided with the free end 25 from which projects a small upwardly bent teat 26 which permits the tongue 22 to be more easily lifted from its locking position as illustrated in Figure 3 by permitting the finger nail to be inserted under the teat to raise the tongue. An upwardly projecting shoulder 21 is formed by expanding a portion of the metal to provide a projecting shoulder along the transverse line 28 of the tongue 22 where the portion 24 joins the body of the tongue 22. This shoulder 2'! acts to engage the edge of the grommet or eyelet I! to hold the free end II of the portfolio against sliding and releasing the tongue 22 from looking position. The shoulder 21 also prevents the tongue 22 from slipping out of the eyelet until the tongue 22 has been raised by engaging the teat 26 and lifting the tongue in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 3 to move the tongue into the position illustrated in Figure 2. When the locking tongue 22 is in the position illustrated in Figure 2, the spring anchor member I8 may be slid freely into the desired position in the track I3 owing to the fact that there is no tension on the shoulder ends I9 and 20 and the tongue 22 is laid back intothe free position illustrated in Figure 2. However, when the tongue 22 is rotated on the loop 2| and is in the locking position illustrated in Figure 3, the end 24 bears against the flanges l4 of the track I3 and pressure is brought to bear on the inside of the loop 2 I, tending to raise the loop or hump 2| andputting the spring tension of the anchor I8 on the free end of the tongue 22, thereby holding the' same under spring tension of the anchor I8 in locking position. When the tongue 22 is in this locking position, the shoulders I9 and 20 engage in the grooves I5 of the track I3 and provide a biting action under spring tension which holds the anchor I8 from sliding in the track I3. This is due to the fact that the anchor I8 is made of spring material and is made flat on its ends and has a tendency to straighten itself when bent out of this straight formation, and thus an adjustable lock is provided which may be readily operated into the different desired positions to provide the necessary expansion or contraction to hold the portfolio A in neat closed position. The track I 3 is proportioned in length to the size of the portfolio and the degree of expansion that is necessary so that a bigger portfolio would need a longer track than a smaller one.

The track 53 has button-like shoulders 21 formed in the bottom of the same which are adapted to hold the spring anchor I8 fromv ordinarily sliding out of the track I 3. However, these shoulders do not prevent the spring anchor I8 from being removed by lifting either end over one of the shoulders 27. In the same manner, the spring anchor I8 is inserted into the track I3 by being raised or forced over either of the shoulders 21.

The shoulders I9 and 20 on the spring tongue I8 are important because they hold the anchor freely slidable in the track I3 and also act to lock both ends of the anchor I8 against disengagement from the track I3 when tension on the spring anchor I8 is caused by moving the tongue 22 into locking position. The spring I8 also transmits spring tension to the free end of the tongue 22 which causes this free end to bear under spring tension against the free end of the closing flap H of the portfolio A.

When the tongue 22 is turned back into wide open position as illustrated in Figure 2, the angular end 24 permits the tongue 22 to lie freely in the position illustrated in Figure 2, with the free end of the tongue ready to be inserted in the eyelet H. An advantage of this lock resides in permitting the tongue I3 to act as a lever in drawing the free end of the flap II into closed position and held under spring tension of the anchor I8.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of my lock for portfolios and expandible wallets, and while the structure illustrated is of a form convenient to illustrate the structure thereof, I desire that my invention extend to the scope of the following claims, and thus cover any variations within said scope even though the exact form thereof may not be herein illustrated.

I claim:

1. A look for an expandible portfolio or the like, including a track, integral means for anchoring said track to the body of the portfolio, a spring anchoring member slidably supported in said track having shoulder ends to hold the ends of said anchoring member in said track, the intermediate portion between the ends of said anchor having an upwardly projecting loop formed therein, and an anchoring tongue freely pivoted to said loop of said anchor, said tongue having an offset end adapted to engage against said track and tending to cause the central portion of said anchor to be lifted out of said track, whereby spring tension is exerted against the free end of said tongue. to hold the same extending through the free flap of the portfolio to lock the same in closed position.

2. An adjustable lock for an expandible portfolio or the like, comprising a long track adapted to be secured to the body of the portfolio to extend under and beyond the free edge of the closing flap of the portfolio, a spring anchor slidably supported within said track, shoulders at the ends of said track for preventing said anchor from slipping out of the same, said anchor being normally freely slidable in said track, shoulder means on the ends of said anchor adapted to hold the same from springing out of said track, when the central portion of said anchor is bowedoutwardly away from the track, and a locking tongue adapted to extend through an opening in the free flap of the portfolio and having an ofiset cam end adapted to be pivotally supported to the central portion of said anchor, said cam end of said tongue pressing against said track and tending to spring the central portion of said anchor away from said track, thereby causing spring tension to be exerted against the free end of said tongue to cause said tongue to hold the flap of the portfolioin closed position under spring tension.

3. A fastener including a guideway, a resilient latching means slidably mounted on said guideway, cooperable means on said guideway and on each end of said latching means to retain said latching means on said guideway, a locking lever pivotally' mounted between the ends of said latching means, one end of said lever provided with means to grip said guideway and retain said latching means in place, said locking lever flexing said latching means between the ends thereof to press said one end of said lever against said guideway under spring tension.

4. A fastener including a guideway, a resilient latching means slidably mounted on said guide- 7 way, cooperating means on said guideway and on each end of said latching means to retain said latching means on said guideway, said latching means including means resiliently flexing the same intermediate the ends thereof and to grip said guideway and retain said latching means in position thereon.

5. A fastener including a guideway, a latching means including a body of resilient material slidably mounted on said guideway, cooperating means on said guideway and on both ends of said body to retain said latching means on said guideway, the center of said body between said ends being free of said guideway, said latching means also including a locking lever pivotally mounted on said center of said body and urged by the resilience of said body against said guideway.

6. A fastener including a guideway, a resilient latching means slidably mounted on said guide- Way, said latching means including a body, cooperating means on both ends of said body and on said guideway for holding said latching means on said guideway, resilient loop means on said body between the ends thereof, a locking lever having an end interposed between said loop means and said guideway, pivctally supporting said lever, said end flexing said resilient loop means in one position thereof to clamp said end against said guideway, and decreasing tension on said loop in another position thereof to permit sliding of said latching means on said guideway.

'7. A fastener including a channel track having inturned edges thereupon, a latching means slidably mounted in said channel, said latching means including a body having an enlarged end engageable in said channel beneath said inturned edges, a central portion extending between said inturned edges, and an ear on the other end engageable beneath one of said inturned edges; a locking lever having an end interposed between said central portion of said body and said inturned edges, said body pivotally supporting said lever, said end of said lever flexing said body to clamp said lever end against the surface of said inturned edges. m

8. A fastener including a guideway, a resilient latching means slidably mounted on said guide- Way, cooperating means on said guideway and on each end of said latching means to retain said latching means on said guideway, lever means pivotally secured at one end to said latching means for resiliently flexing the same intermediate the ends thereof to grip said guideway and retain said latching means in position thereon, and an offset ear on the other end of said lever means by means of which said lever may be engaged.

WILLIAM DAY FRITZ. 

